Kenya dominate 2nd CAA

18 March 2012 – The second edition of the CAA Africa Cross Country Championships took place in Cape Town at Keurboom Park with Kenya once again dominating, taking gold in most of the categories.

The senior men’s race was arguably the most fiercely contested on the day. The first 3 laps saw a bunch of around 40 athletes packed in the front group. As the athletes settled in the subsequent laps the group broke up, showcasing a thinning front pack consisting of athletes mainly Kenya, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Clement Kiprono Langat (KEN) became the African Cross Country Champion when he broke the tape in the men’s 12km race in 35:43 just ahead of Teklemariam Medhim of Eritrea (35:50). Ethiopias Atsedu Tesfay finished 3rd.

The South African team stayed behind the main group from the start. Lungisa Mdadelwa delivered the best performance of the team finishing 12th in 37:29. Elroy Gelant was 14th with Boy Soke, Kgosi Tsosane and Dean Brummer coming through 24th, 26th and 27th. Davind Manja finished 4th at the Southern Region Cross Country Championships in Mauritius on 3 March, but had to be satisfied with 47th.
Kenya won the team competition with Ethiopia taking silver and Eritrea bronze. South Africa finished 5th.

She won the Kenyan National Trials on 18 February and today Joice Chepkirui added another title to her name when she won the senior women’s 8km race in 27:04. Compatriots Margaret Muriuki, Emily Chebet and Esther Ndiema followed. Chebet is a former World Cross Country Champion (2010). The winning times showed just how dominant Kenya were with Chepkirui timed at 27:04, Muriuki came through in 27:05, Chebet in 27:06 and Ndiema in 27:07. The Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes dominated the entire race comfortably. Ethiopia’s Balaynesh Oljira Jemana was the first non Kenyan across the line in 5th some 5 seconds behind Ndiema.

South Africa’s Mpho Mabuza was the first South African to finish the race (17th). The other women, Lebo Phalula, Nolene Conrad, Portia Ngwenya, Ntombesintu Mfunzi finished in positions 19-22, while Ashleigh Schetler finished 24th just behind Botswana’s Onneile Dintwe.

Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda took gold, silver and bronze in the team placings with South Africa 5th behind Eritrea.

The only defending champion present at the Africa Cross Country Championships was Japhet Korir (KEN) who won the junior men’s race in 2011. Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea dominated the race, but it was the sprint to the finish line that probably made this one of the most exciting races of the day. With the first 3 athletes crossing the line in the same time, it was extremely difficult to distinguish the winner with the naked eye. In the end Korir was dethroned of his title as Muktar Edris Awel (ETH) was awarded the victory, Korir had to settle for the silver. Justine Cheruiyot finished 3rd with Ethiopia’s Hagos Berhe 4th. The times for the first 4 places in this race were seconds apart at 23:30, 23:31, 23:31 and 23:32.

The South African junior men finished 7th in the team competition. Tumisang Monnatlala came through in 25:43 (25th), Sithembile Dondolo 32nd , Sello Masia 33rd and Thapelo Madiba (he qualified for the World Junior Championships in the 800m at the first Yellow Pages Interprovincial meeting in Germiston on 25 February) 35th. Zweli Nzima and Sello Mokwena finished 37th and 38th.

In their first International competition the South African junior women ran as a team to finish 4th behind Ethiopia, Eritrea and Morocco. >From the very early stages of the race the Kenyans and Ethiopians dominated as 3 Kenyan and 4 Ethiopian athletes, as well as the Eritreans, had a clear lead going into the second lap of 2km of the 6km race.

The junior World Cross Country Champion Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (KEN) won the race in 19:32 followed by compatriots Agnes Tirop and Nancy Chepkwemoi in 19:34 and 19:37 respectively. Kenya could not share in the team competition as four athletes are required to be eligible for the team prize while only 3 Kenyan athletes finished.

South Africa’s Luleka Dyonki was the top South African (22nd), with Sylvia Tshetlanyane and Thandi Sihole finishing 23rd and 24th while Thandeka Manzana finished 26th. The Van Graan sisters Aynslee and Kyla crossed the line in 28th and 31st respectively.

Overall, Kenya won 3 of the 4 gold medals in the team competition. 19 countries competed at the 2nd CAA Africa Cross Country Championships.